What is the Child Support Program?
Title IV-D of the Federal Social Security Act requires every state to provide child support services. In Indiana, these child support services are administered by the Child Support Bureau (of) Indiana’s Department of Child Services (DCS). Child Support services are provided in each county by local elected Prosecutors operating under contract with DCS.
What does the Child Support Program do?
The Child Support Program is required to do a number of functions to assist in getting child support dollars to families. These functions include:
- Locating non-custodial parents
- Establishing paternity
- Establishing child support and medical support orders
- Enforcing payment of child support
The Child Support Program also reviews child support orders to insure they conform to the Indiana Child Support Rules and Guidelines, disburses child support payments to custodial parties, and assists other states, territories, and tribes in all of these activities. Most of these activities take place through the local county prosecutor's child support office. These services are free and available to anybody who completes an enrollment form.
What services are not available through the Child Support Program?
Many other matters may be addressed in a court hearing or order in which child support is ordered. The county prosecutor's child support office cannot help with civil matters such as divorce petitions, custody, or parenting time/visitation, nor can they provide legal advice on these issues. The prosecutor's child support office represents the State of Indiana in child support matters only, in the best interest of the child(ren). The office does not represent either the custodial party or the non-custodial parent.
Who can open a Child Support case?
Anyone can receive child support services by submitting an enrollment form to their local County Prosecutor's office. There is no fee to enroll.
Not every child support order is part of a child support case. While some child support orders involve parties who automatically receive mandatory child support services based on receiving certain public benefits, the vast majority of child support cases receive services because one of the parties (either a custodial party or non-custodial parent) voluntarily signed up for child support services.
Who do I contact for more information?
In each county, the county prosecutor's office provides case management and many of the child support enforcement services. Use the following link to find contact information for all county prosecutor's offices: Local Prosecutor Offices
Indiana Department of Child Services Policy Manual
The DCS Title IV-D Policy Manual provides guidance to program participants and local county prosecutor’s staff performing child support program services. The Policy Manual provides details on Indiana’s child support policies and procedures.
Child Support Enforcement Resources
Links to other child support enforcement websites at the national and state levels: